# Wet spot in yard. Source?? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 27, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460 "2013-05-27T13:12:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/1 "2013-05-27T13:12:54Z")
[A few days ago I roto-tilled our small raised garden area.](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/9bd74d1e722feab5fa945c983f9b0c85_zpsf5ba19e2.jpg) We plant a few tomatoes, tomatillos, peppers, etc here. Ever since I prepared the site, I’ve noticed a [small persistently wet/muddy spot.](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/230606b9d4eccc03ccd3ae08298dd0ef_zps544a0fe4.jpg) There hasn’t been any rain. Gutters drain into rain barrels far from the garden. Septic is on the other side of the house. Well water enters the house far from this spot. No French drain, no water lines of any sort here. Yet, for three days now the area is wet. Ideas? I’m thinking about taking a shovel and exploring. My gf is concerned that up through the ground will come a bubbling crude. I’m stumped.😕 ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/2 "2013-05-27T13:24:48Z")
How far below ground level is the local water table? Perhaps it’s a groundwater upwelling? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/3 "2013-05-27T13:35:11Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > How far below ground level is the local water table? Perhaps it’s a groundwater upwelling? That’s a possibility, but why so focal? I’m gonna explore. If I’m not back in an hour, someone call 911. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/4 "2013-05-27T13:38:00Z")
Oooh, now I’m all curious. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/5 "2013-05-27T13:42:26Z")
I would keep an eye out for the neighbour’s dog. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/6 "2013-05-27T13:47:37Z")
Heh. It took thirty seconds. After moving away the surface soil, [this is what I found.](http://i681.photobucket.com/albums/vv174/kayaker01/256f77068bd7fa2f53a87e6b132b308c_zps5080cfd6.jpg) a grape vine root that was torn by the root-tiller!!! In the original garden picture, to the far left is/was a grapevine. We always got grapes, but they always died on the vine (fungus). Whenever I cut them back they always weeped gallons of liquid. Looks like the roots do the same thing. Sorry for the under-whelming conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/77aa72/32.png) [@Fluffy\_PickleSniffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fluffy_PickleSniffer)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/7 "2013-05-27T13:50:21Z")
So it was grape juice? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/8 "2013-05-27T14:07:38Z")
^heh, basically. Put in some rhubarb, cilantro, and basil in the perennial area. All is well. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/9 "2013-05-27T14:23:16Z")
Very glad it wasn’t a pipe to some fountain the builders changed their minds on. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2013, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wet-spot-in-yard-source/659460/10 "2013-05-27T15:03:09Z")
\ For a minute I thought you were in my house! This morning I heard a little bang/pop/something. Didn’t think anything of it. An hour or so later, I tried to pour some water. Almost no pressure from the tap. So I went outside and checked. Sure enough, there was a wet spot in the yard. And water coming up from it. I turned the water off at the meter, and was able to find a popped fitting. But it won’t go back together by itself, and I’m not a plumber-type. I’ve got someone outside working the issue now. Good thing I’m at home today! I’d hate for that to have been going all day while I was at work. Next time, I’m just gong to plant grape vines. It seems like an easier clean up.